Monthly Archive for October, 2013

Now entering its fourth year, Lead 2014 is a partnership between the Youth Sport Trust, sportscotland and Glasgow 2014 that aims to harness the enthusiasm and potential of young people to create the next generation of sports leaders.

This exciting programme for young people consists of a series of conferences that will help you develop your leadership skills, gain valuable experience through volunteering and play your part in raising the profile of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games across Scotland.

Registration for 2014’s conferences is now open. As ever the programme is expected to be very popular and places are limited and allocated on a first come first served basis. You must register by 15 November.

The conferences will take place on the following dates and venues:

• 20 February – University of the Highlands and Islands (Inverness)
• 28 February – Strathclyde University (Glasgow)
• 11 March – St Andrews University (St Andrews)
• 13 March – Robert Gordon University (Aberdeen)
• 20 March – Stirling University (Stirling)
• 24 March – University of Edinburgh (Edinburgh)
• 26 March – University of the West of Scotland (Hamilton)

Learners from 32 school clusters from targeted areas of most socio-economic need across Scotland will be given the chance to participate in the Digital Common Wealth schools programme, funded by the Big Lottery Fund, the University of the West of Scotland and the MediaTrust and launched formally on Friday 25th October 2013, with a great deal of interest shown from the education and cultural sectors and over fifty attendees. The project aim is to involve every Local Authority in Scotland in the digital reporting of the Commonwealth themes in the run up to the Queen’s Baton Relay in June 2014, promoting digital media literacy skills through a series of specialist workshops (with associated learning materials mapped to Curriculum for Excellence requirements) focusing on audio, video, blogging and social media storytelling techniques, for up to 20 pupils (at P6 – S2 level) per cluster. These will use readily available technology to help learners use their imagination and knowledge to produce creative, appropriate and engaging content based around four broad Commonwealth themes of People, Place, Culture and Exchange. Participating schools will see their work showcased on a project website which will be archived as a record for future generations and there will be opportunities for working on a collaborative and cross curricular basis.

To participate in the project the Digital Common Wealth project team are looking for a Local Authority representative in each area to submit an indication of interest form

detailing how the proposed school cluster meets the project eligibility criteria and why they would like to take part, as well as details of how the project would be embedded in the curriculum. Indications of interest should be submitted to the Digital Common Wealth Educational Coordinator, Alison McCandlish by email (alison@digitalcommonwealth.co.uk ) by 5pm on Friday 29th November 2013.

For more information on the project, together with detailed eligibility criteria you may wish to visit the Digital Common Wealth websitewww.digitalcommonwealth.co.uk , and the links below:

In November two exciting Glow Meets around Technologies’ will focus on the Queen’s Baton and its design.

Join us on Tuesday the 5th of November (4 – 4.45pm) to learn more about how William Mitchell and his design team at 4cDesign effectively utilised science, technology, engineering, maths, art and design skills to create the Queen’s baton and how you and your learners can be involved on the 26th November (11am – 12 noon) by considering your own baton design for your school or centre.

Make the most of the 2014 Commonwealth Games by connecting your school to Commonwealth Class.

The BBC, the British Council and the Commonwealth Secretariat are working together to bring Commonwealth Class to schools across the world. The project is aimed at 7 – 14 year olds and provides online teaching resources and interactive activities for schools to mark the run up to the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Focusing on Commonwealth values and topical issues from a global perspective, Commonwealth Class will help connect young people around the world to learn together about how to be effective, responsible global citizens. Connect your classroom – sign up at www.bbc.co.uk/commonwealthclass

COMPETITION: SCHOOL STORIES

We have launched a competition for schools to win the chance to work with a BBC crew to make a film in their community. We are searching for the best stories from around the Commonwealth which share what it means to be a global citizen and which best reflect the Commonwealth values. Further details and how to enter: www.bbc.co.uk/worldclass/24574326

ONLINE DEBATES

We also hold monthly online debates to provide an opportunity for young people to share their views on topics such as tolerance and respect, democracy, exam stress, making a living and gender equality. We would love your school to join us for the regular online debates. The next debates planned are as follows:

Thursday 31st October – in association with Authors Live and the Scottish Book Trust, a debate inspired by storytellers from around the Commonwealth. Writers Lari Don, Peter Chand and Mara Menzies share their stories.

Thursday 14th November – a debate based around the Commonwealth Youth Forum 2013 in Sri Lanka.

Thursday 21st November – a language debate to mark International Education Week 2013.

Thursday 28th November – in association with Authors Live and the Scottish Book Trust, a debate related to a live event with Mairi Hedderwick, author of the Katie Morag stories.

Previous debates have included contributions from pupils in Kenya, India, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, Pakistan and South Africa, as well as across the UK.

Earlier this month, marking the 300 days to go milestone, Commonwealth Games Scotland announced the first 27 athletes selected to represent Team Scotland. These will be the first of many sporting Scots who will carry the hopes of a nation when the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games kicks off on 23rd July 2014.

In all 17 sports, athletes have been aiming to meet qualification targets and claim their spot on the team. It’s been a busy and successful summer and next year will be even better!

You can find out more information about the athletes who make up Team Scotland on the Go Scotland! website, where they have a special ‘Meet the Team’ section. The section will be updated with athletes as they are selected.

Game On Scotland will shortly be developing a Team Scotland section within the site, but you can already access lots of information about Scottish athletes at the Go Scotland! site, including a range of downloadable posters of athletes across the 17 sports.

In any discussion about sporting events, the word talent comes up, but what does it really mean? Often the concept of talent is not particularly well understood, particularly when evidence doesn’t seem to support it being a natural process.

The Talent Team at the sportscotland institute of sport have developed a film (screenshot pictured) which hopes to help people to understand the concept of ‘sporting talent’. It is aimed primarily at young athletes (11 – 17) but is also very relevant to those who influence them –from their coaches and teachers to parents, peers, neighbours and role models. The film is available at http://youtu.be/LfUvchfrcS0.

The hope is that young athletes can gain a new perspective on what ‘talent’ really means and ultimately encourage them to work hard at their sports. The message is simple – hard work and determination can lead to sporting success.

If you would like to find out more about talent and the work of the Talent Team at sportscotland, visit www.sisport.com/talent. Along with the film, the site contains a range of materials on talent, which could make for interesting discussions in classes or sports clubs.

Yesterday (9 October 2013), the Glasgow 2014 Queen’s Baton Relay was launched at Buckingham Palace by Her Majesty the Queen, beginning its epic journey around the 70 nations and territories of the Commonwealth. It won’t be long before the baton returns to Scotland – and organisers want you to be part of its final journey!

The baton holding the Queen’s Message will cross continents, terrains and time zones. Once its has been around the Commonwealth it will come home to Scotland on 14 June 2014 to spend 40 days visiting communities in all 32 local authority areas. On 23 July 2014 the baton will be handed back to Her Majesty at the Opening Ceremony where the 288 day relay will conclude and the Games officially begin.

Glasgow 2014 organisers need up to 4,000 batonbearers to help carry the baton around Scotland on the final leg of its journey, helping to ensure the Games reach every person and every community in Scotland.

Opportunities don’t come much bigger than this to be involved in the Games and your help is needed to find community batonbearers.

You can nominate a family member, friend or someone you know for a position. Organisers are looking for people who have:

• made a positive contribution to the lives of others through community sport;
• undertaken voluntary work or contributed to schools or youth organisations;
• contributed towards greater inclusion for disadvantaged or marginalised sectors of the community;
• been a role model or mentor to young people through sport;
• displayed a level of individual achievement against the odds;
• made a significant contribution to their local community.

Nominations are open to anyone 12 years of age or above and nominations close at 5pm on 22 November 2013.

To find out more and to nominate someone see here and give Scotland’s local champions a thank you they will never forget.

Secondary Schools to get their own batonbearer!

Game On Scotland is delighted to support the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games Organising Committee in providing a unique opportunity for each secondary school, and each special school with pupils of secondary age, in Scotland. Each eligible school’s headteacher has been invited to nominate a pupil to carry the Queen’s Baton on behalf of their school, whilst the relay is in their Local Authority area. Find out more on the Game On Scotland website.

Watch the newly released video with the adventurer Mark Beaumont and join young people from across the Commonwealth to discuss the Queen’s Baton Relay, launched on 9 October from Buckingham Place by her Majesty the Queen. To take part simply share and discuss your ideas between now and the 11 October by emailing commonwealthclass@bbc.co.uk . The BBC will publish pupils’ opinions, allowing schools to respond and converse in real time. For more information go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldclass/livedebates/.

The Concert, 11 October, 11 am

On Friday 11 October join a live concert from Glasgow to mark the first stage of the Queen’s Baton at its arrival in India. A live stream will be provide through the BBC Commonwealth Class programme.

Assembly materials

Involve your school, year group, form class etc. in a stimulating debate on the most current event around the Commonwealth Games, the launch of the Queen’s Baton Relay. Video and teachers’ notes have been provided by the BBC here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldclass/assemblies/

With around 250 days before the biggest multi-sport and cultural event ever to come to Scotland, we invite practitioners to join us and find out more on how the Commonwealth Games may provide help you to create stimulating learning opportunities across the curriculum and beyond.

The event will showcase inspirational initiatives from schools across the board and highlight programmes available to teachers to ensuring that, together, we deliver a lasting legacy for learning. The keynote address will come from Paralymic champion David Smith MBE. A variety of engaging workshops delivered by practitioners and organisations experienced in Games Legacy work will provide practical, hands-on exemplification on the impact of using the Games as a context for learning. Workshop sessions will include:

exemplification from primary and secondary schools,

inspirational address by people directly engaged with the Games and its legacy ,

Teachers, lead staff and those with a whole school responsibility for Games Legacy, including cluster initiatives and wider curriculum remits related to the Games (e.g. active schools coorindator, health and wellbeing).

To celebrate the Queen’s Baton Relay setting off on its journey around the Commonwealth, Authors Live has brought together storytellers, Peter Chand, Lari Don and Mara Menzies (India, Scotland & Kenya) to share traditional tales from their homeland in this storytelling relay.